High speed container filling systems are well known and used in many different industries. In many of the systems, fluids are supplied to containers to be filled through a series of pumps, pressurized tanks and flow meters, fluid filling nozzles, and/or valves to help ensure the correct amount of fluid is dispensed into the containers. These high speed container systems are typically systems that are configured to only fill one type of container with one type of fluid. When a different container type and/or different fluid is desired from the system, the configuration of the system must be changed (e.g., different nozzles, different carrier systems, etc.) which can be time consuming, costly, and can result in increased downtimes. To provide consumers with a diverse product line, a manufacturer must employ many different high speed container systems which can be expensive and space intensive.
These high speed container filling systems are also typically incapable of providing different containers and arrangements of containers in a package without manual handling of the containers and/or packaging which can be time consuming, expensive, and frequently inaccurate.
Various patent publications disclose article handling systems (though not necessarily container filling systems). These include: U.S. Pat. No. 6,011,508, Perreault, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,101,952, Thornton, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,499,701, Cho; U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,495, Yitts, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,781,524, Clark, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,917,136, Thornton, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,983,701, Thornton, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,011,728 B2, U.S. Pat. No. 7,264,426 B2, Buttrick, Jr.; Dewig, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,448,327, Thornton, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,458,454, Mendenhall; U.S. Pat. No. 8,591,779 B2, Senn, et al.; U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,032,880; 9,233,800 B2, Senn, et al.; U.S. Patent Application Publications US 2015/0079220 A1 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,283,709 B2, Lindner, et al.) and US 2016/114988 A1; and, EP Patent 1 645 340 B1. The search for improved high speed container filling systems has continued.
Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a filling system and methods of filling containers with an improved traffic control system. It would also be advantageous to provide a filling system and a method of filling containers that are versatile and can fill different containers with different fluids simultaneously. It would also be advantageous to provide a filling system and a method of filling containers that allows for on-demand fulfillment of orders without requiring manual packing.